To Reduce Response Time, Child Helpline To Be Integrated With ERSS

As part of its broader vision of 'One Nation One Helpline', the government is in the process of integrating the Child Helpline number '1098' with the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) Helpline number '112' and the Women Helpline number '181', by the end of this month.

While the helpline numbers for children and women were implemented by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had come up with the ERSS helpline number. The 1098 helpline service was started in 1995 and is currently managed by around 1,500 NGOs throughout the country.

After integration, the helpline number will be operated through the local district administration and police. Sources in the WCD Ministry said that this has been done to correct several anomalies in the existing system. The helpline centres were listed in 568 districts of the country and during an enquiry, 200 of them were found to be non-functional, they added.

The Childline India Foundation (CIF) is rendering helpline services in 568 districts, 135 railway stations and 11 bus stands through its network of more than 1,000 units. However, the response time by the CIF to respond to children's distress calls is about 60 minutes, which is abominably poor by any standards. It is very difficult to rescue a child in danger with this response time.

"The current system lacks interoperability with other services like police, fire, ambulance which leads to loss of precious time in distress situations. The government has taken a decision to integrate the Child Helpline with ERSS-112 for all emergency cases so that immediate help can be provided to children in distress conditions," the sources explained.

The WCD ministry has roped in the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), Kerala, for automation of the helpline and its integration with ERSS-112. At present, the number '1098' would remain functional. However, going forward, '112' would be the single contact number for all types of such calls.

The incoming calls will be classified in three categories of emergency calls, non-emergency calls and information calls, and accordingly they will be transferred to the concerned departments for quick action. The WCD Ministry has already discussed it with the MHA and State governments, and all are in agreement to implement this system, the sources said.

In the first phase, the new system will be launched in nine States, starting from June 30. These States include Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Goa, Ladakh, Mizoram and Puducherry. Another 14 States will join the new system by July-end while all other States and Union territories will be moved to it in the next three months.